World Happiness Report 2026: where did Poland rank?

Yearly World Happiness Report 2026, published by Gallup, covers a survey of as many as 147 countries (the number depends on the edition) and measures the happiness levels of their inhabitants. Each edition of the report also analyses selected areas that have an impact on social well-being. In this year's edition, experts focused, among other things, on how social media affects young people and social ties, as well as on building trust and shared experiences.

Specialists in the field of mental health and media have looked at areas that are now recognized as key factors shaping the functioning of societies. Which country achieves the highest level of happiness, and in which countries is the situation problematic? How does Poland compare to other countries and what do experts say about our way and frequency of using social media? We present the most important and interesting findings of this year's report.

The ranking of happiness levels is based on research conducted by the Gallup Center and includes a comparison of six key factors:

GDP per capita,
social support,
healthy life expectancy (according to data from the World Health Organization — WHO),
generosity,
perception of own consumption,
The freedom to make decisions in life is felt,
level of perceived corruption.

Check out our articles on last year's ranking! World Happiness Report 2025: How did Poland fare?, The happiest country in the world 2025? We check which place Poland took in the ranking of the World Happiness Report

Poland and the happiest country in the world Once again the undisputed leader and winner of this year's ranking World Happiness Report 2026 remained Finland - a country that has occupied an honorable place for years or is at the very top of the list. It is said that Finns achieve a high level of happiness through practice content; a concept based on strength of spirit, perseverance and courage in overcoming the hardships of life, as well as on attention to the balance between body and mind through a philosophy of closeness to nature.

Probably most of us associate Finns with the traditional culture of sauna, as well as with the love of physical activity and sports. Other wellbeing practices also include the simplest ones; enjoying the small moments of everyday life and caring for rest and recovery. Much is also said about the Finnish model of state governance and concern for the welfare of citizens. The Finnish government, headed by women for years, has become a symbol of modern leadership. Sanna Marin took office as prime minister at just 34 years old (she held this position until 2023), and during her tenure, women led the five parties forming the government coalition. An important political and social aspect is also the fact that Finland, pursuing a policy in the spirit of the welfare state (welfare state), builds a system based on strong and stable public institutions, developed social and health care, and high-quality public services. As a result, Finns are less likely to face problems of unemployment or homelessness, and the level of social trust remains very high.

The top 10 happiest countries included, respectively:

Finland (7,764)
Iceland (7.54)
Denmark (7.539)
Costa Rica (7.439)
Sweden (7.255)
Norway (7,242)
Netherlands (7,223)
Israel (7,187)
Luxembourg (7,063)
Switzerland (7,018)

Among the highlighted happiest countries in the world, most share a solid state and institutional foundation and a high level of citizen security. A surprise for many may be the presence of Costa Rica - a country that last year took 6th place. The country is known for its concern for natural resources, nature conservation and sustainable development. The philosophy of the inhabitants is “pura vida”, based on optimism and the enjoyment of life. Of particular note is the fact that Costa Rica has not had its own army since 1948. Instead, residents boast an “army” of national parks and nature reserves that represent a symbol and cause for national pride.

Poland ranked 26th this year, scoring 6,769 points - that's three places lower than the United States (21st place) and five places higher than the United Kingdom (29th place). Compared to last year, however, there was no change - in the 2025 report we took exactly the same position. On the other hand, it was a huge advance compared to 2024, when Poland moved up from 35th place by nine positions.

In these countries, the level of happiness is the lowest

Unfortunately, the last ten countries with the lowest happiness levels are not a big surprise. These are primarily countries from the African continent and regions affected by prolonged political and economic instability. Many face the effects of armed conflict, poverty, humanitarian crises and limited access to health care and education.

Experts also point to historical conditions, including the legacy of European colonialism, which in many cases left behind unstable state borders, social inequalities and economies heavily dependent on raw material exports. Combined with contemporary challenges — such as climate change, debt and internal conflicts — these factors contribute to lower levels of well-being.

The biggest point difference in the ranking was again recorded in the case of Afghanistan, which once again took the last place of the list. The country has been struggling for years with the consequences of long-standing armed conflicts, an economic crisis, social restrictions and a difficult humanitarian situation, which significantly affects the daily life of its inhabitants and the level of declared happiness.

147. Afghanistan (1.446)

146. Sierra Leone (3,251)

145. Malawi (3,284)

144. Zimbabwe (3.46)

143. Botswana (3,464)

142. Yemen (3,532)

141. Democratic Republic of the Congo (3,761) 140. Egypt (3,862) 139. Tanzania (3,902)

138. Eswatini (3,909)

summary

This year World Happiness Report 2026 shows clear differences in the level of happiness between countries and highlights the importance of stable institutions, security and the welfare of citizens. Finland and other Scandinavian countries continue to hold the top positions, while countries affected by conflict and poverty remain in the final part of the ranking. In the next part of the article we will focus on what really affects the level of happiness in individual countries: the role of social media, social ties, the level of trust and the deteriorating well-being of young people. We will also look at how new technologies and digital media are shaping the daily lives and emotions of the next generations.

Sources:

World Happiness Report 2026: where did Poland rank?

Other stories

The Sejm passed the reform of the State Labour Inspectorate: an end to the “garbage”?

Dzień Mężczyzn: o zdrowiu i wsparciu

Disinformation: How to cope in a world of media chaos?

Jaka jest skala dezinformacji w Polsce?

Discover topics that are important to you